I
used the VisorPhone over the course of two weeks for this review.
At first it feels weird holding your Visor to your ear, but you get used
to it after a while. I did get some smudges on the screen until I
started holding the mic farther away. The mic in the Visor has
a really good range.
The biggest negative is the weight of the Visor+VisorPhone in this day
and age of tiny phones. My Prism+VisorPhone weighed in at 10.0 oz,
well more than many cell phones.
The speaker of the VisorPhone is excellent in loud or quiet situations.
I was even able to use it as a speakerphone when checking my voice mail.
The free "$25 Value" headset that came with the VisorPhone was of about
$10 quality. I could hear myself when talking to someone on the phone
and the sound quality was worse than when not using the headset.
Besides, it was nice to finally use the built-in microphone of the Visor.
I suggest you invest in a better headset if you plan on hands-free operation
or want to use your Visor while speaking on the phone.
GSM
isn't available everywhere, but it's currently much better than CDPD wireless
technology offered by the Minstrel S modem. There was only one building
that I had too weak a signal to use the VisorPhone, but everywhere else
I was able to use the VisorPhone without any problems.
As for carrying your VisorPhone, I used the slipcase that came with
the Prism to carry the VPR+VP around. When I was in my car, I used
one of those foam cupholders that connects to your car's AC vents to hold
them. It worked out very well since I was using the headset.
The
vibrator on the VisorPhone is very good and is something that every cell
phone should have. Battery life on the VisorPhone is adequate and
will never be a problem for Visor Prism users that leave their handheld
in the cradle.
The only improvements really needed in the VisorPhone are in the Call
History application. As I said earlier, a total minutes feature is
needed, as is a tally of Modem minutes used. Customized rings would
also be nice. I would also like to see Handspring let the VisorPhone's
vibrator act as an alarm for DateBook.
Conclusion
The Handspring VisorPhone is a very good all-in-one Springboard module
that gives you a cellular phone, messaging, and a wireless modem in one
package. If you can handle the high price, this could be the only
Springboard module you need.
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| Pros |
- Easy to use
- Integrates well with other applications
- Good speaker
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| Cons |
- Modem calls not in Call History
- Must use +1 or call is dialed long distance
- Weight of Visor+VisorPhone |
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